Report: AEIAR Conference : FUTURE LAND USE OF RURAL AND PERI-URBAN AREAS

The European Association for Rural Development Institutions (AEIAR) celebrated its 50^th anniversary with an event on 7 and 8 September 2016 in Brussels. In total about 60 participants from AEIAR member organizations and EU level actors from 12 different member states discussed the current situation of European land use. Together they looked forward to future ways of dealing with increasing land concentration, calling for a European approach.

The AEIAR’s anniversary event took stock of the evolution of European agricultural structures. Participants exchanged experiences on land management tools implemented by different EU countries, specifically those tools that help regulate land markets. Michel Baylac, president of AEIAR explains: “Our members are all working towards a common goal, but sometimes under different national laws and with different tools. AEIAR offers a political voice that can help to harmonise the rules in the land market economy at European level.”

An overview of presentations available for download:

‘50 years AEIAR – Contribution to European structural policy for agriculture and rural areas‘ by Karl-Heinz Goetz (Bundesverband der gemeinntzigen Landgesellschaften, BLG) (in German)

‘The evolution of farm structures in Eruope: did ‘concentration’ mean ‘homgenization’?‘ – Dr. Ir. Laurent Piet (L’institut de la recherche agronomique, INRA – France)

‘Challenges of future land use in Europe – climate change, quality of life and role of rural areas‘ – Prof. Dr. Ing. Thomas Weith (Leibniz-Zentrum fr Agrarlandschaftsforschung, ZALF – Germany)

‘Introduction to roundtable discussion on Future land use of rural and peri-urban areas‘ by Robert Levesque (Terres d’Europe-SCAFR, AEIAR )

‘Erfahrungen der gemeinnützigen Landgesellschaften in Deutschland mit Instrumenten des Landmanagements‘ by Volker Bruns, Vorsitzender des Vorstandes des BLG (AEIAR member)

‘Politique foncier agricole en Wallonie‘ by Yvan Brahic, Service Public de la Wallonie (AEIAR member)

‘Les Safer au service de la transparence du marché foncier rural en France‘ by Mr Loïc Jegouzo, Terres d’Europe-SCAFR (AEIAR member)